Disciplined Agile Delivery: A Principled Approach Scott W. Ambler Senior Consulting Partner scott [at] scottambler.com @scottwambler We’re going to cover a lot of ground © Disciplined Agile Consortium The Story I’m About to Tell © Disciplined Agile Consortium Agile software teams are building awesome race car engines… © Disciplined Agile Consortium …but they are surrounded by organizational tractors © Disciplined Agile Consortium To win the race we need to build a high performing race car… © Disciplined Agile Consortium …supported by an effective team to race it © Disciplined Agile Consortium It’s time to rethink our strategy © Disciplined Agile Consortium © Disciplined Agile Consortium Principle #1: Empiricism is far more important than theory © Disciplined Agile Consortium Disciplined Agile (DA) is a process decision framework The DA framework is empirical: – Originally based on observations from dozens of organizations world wide, and has evolved since then based on continuing observations – Encapsulates inputs from hundreds of practitioners – Hybrid framework that adopts proven ideas from many sources, including agile, lean, and traditional methods and frameworks – Implements insights from industry research © Disciplined Agile Consortium Principle #2: Context counts © Disciplined Agile Consortium Teams are composed of unique individuals… © Disciplined Agile Consortium …and every team faces a unique situation… Team Size Two Hundreds Geographic Distribution Co-located Global Organizational Distribution Single division Outsourcing Compliance None Life critical Domain Complexity Straightforward Very complex Technical Complexity Straightforward Very complex Source: disciplinedagiledelivery.com/agility-at-scale/ © Disciplined Agile Consortium …and every organization is unique © Disciplined Agile Consortium Principle #3: Repeatable results are far more important than repeatable processes © Disciplined Agile Consortium When Given the Choice, People Generally Prefer… Spending their money wisely over coming in “on budget” Getting solutions that meet their needs over building something to specification Getting solutions in a timely manner over coming in “on schedule” © Disciplined Agile Consortium Principle #4: Choice is good. Making informed choices is better © Disciplined Agile Consortium The Disciplined Agile framework supports four delivery lifecycles © Disciplined Agile Consortium Delivery teams need similar capabilities, but perform them in different ways Grow Team Members Explore the Initial Scope Identify the Initial Technical Strategy Produce a Potentially Consumable Solution Address Changing Stakeholder Needs and many more…. © Disciplined Agile Consortium Exploring the Initial Scope There are several issues, or process factors, to consider: – What level of detail, if any, will you capture? – What types of views will you address? What artifacts will you create? – How will you go about modeling the requirements? – How are you going to manage changing requirements throughout Construction? – How are you going to address non- functional requirements? © Disciplined Agile Consortium For example, we can capture initial requirements to different levels of detail Each strategy has advantages and disadvantages, there is no such thing as a best practice © Disciplined Agile Consortium Options are captured visually in the form of goal diagrams © Disciplined Agile Consortium A few statistics… There are 22 process goals for agile/lean delivery teams On average, each goal has 5 process factors On average, each process factor has 5 options This is a good start, but only a good start. © Disciplined Agile Consortium Principle #5: IT departments are multi-modal © Disciplined Agile Consortium Delivery teams will adopt, and then adapt, the lifecycle that is most appropriate Out of scope for Disciplined Agile © Disciplined Agile Consortium Multi-Model IT: Your Mix Evolves Over Time Today Agile Traditional C Agile Lean Exp Traditional 1 Year D 2 Year Agile Lean Exp CD Traditional 5 Year Agile Lean Exp Continuous Delivery Trad © Disciplined Agile Consortium Principle #6: Organizations are complex adaptive systems © Disciplined Agile Consortium Every team interacts with, and affects, other teams Enterprise Data Architecture Management Delivery Delivery Team A Team B Operations © Disciplined Agile Consortium Principle #7: Optimize the whole © Disciplined Agile Consortium Disciplined agile teams are enterprise aware • Disciplined agile teams strive to leverage and enhance the existing organizational eco system wherever possible • Implications: – Work closely with enterprise groups – Follow existing roadmap(s) where appropriate – Leverage existing assets – Enhance existing assets © Disciplined Agile Consortium © Disciplined Agile Consortium IT is only one part of your organization © Disciplined Agile Consortium Principle #8: Every team owns its process © Disciplined Agile Consortium Every delivery team will make their own process choices © Disciplined Agile Consortium © Disciplined Agile Consortium Principle #9: Improve continuously © Disciplined Agile Consortium Teams learn from their experiences Structured surveys Retrospectives Project post mortem Measured improvement © Disciplined Agile Consortium 38 Teams should also share their learnings with other teams © Disciplined Agile Consortium 39 Principle #10: Optimize flow, not artifact creation © Disciplined Agile Consortium Challenge: Our “bodies of knowledge” aren’t compatible IT Activity Bodies of Knowledge Development The Agile Canon Project Management PMI PMBoK, Prince2 IT Governance COBiT Enterprise Architecture TOGAF, Zachman, IASA, DODAF… Data Management DAMA Quality Various ISO specifications Business Analysis IIBA BABoK Operations ITIL © Disciplined Agile Consortium DevOps has made the importance of flow clear… © 2015 Scott Ambler + Associates 42 …but we really need to look at all of IT © Disciplined Agile Consortium Principle #11: Embrace change © Disciplined Agile Consortium Several principles motivate us to embrace change Repeatable results are more important than repeatable processes Choice is good – Informed choice is better Every team owns its process Organizations are complex adaptive organizations Teams improve continuously © Disciplined Agile Consortium © 2015 Disciplined Agile Consortium 46 Scaling Agile Tactically Disciplined agile delivery with one or more scaling factors: § Large teams Tactical § Geographically distributed teams Agility § Compliance at Scale § Domain complexity § Technical complexity § Organizational distribution • Delivery focus Disciplined • Risk-value driven lifecycle Agile • Self-organization with appropriate governance Delivery • Goal driven • Enterprise aware • Construction focus • Value driven lifecycle Agile • Self-organizing teams • Prescriptive • Project team aware © Disciplined Agile Consortium Agile IT: Strategic Agility at Scale © Disciplined Agile Consortium Still Room Left! Introduction to Disciplined Agile Delivery (DAD) – Two-day workshop on Thursday and Friday – Please sign up with the conference organizers © Disciplined Agile Consortium Got Discipline? DisciplinedAgileConsortium.org DisciplinedAgileDelivery.com ScottAmbler.com © Disciplined Agile Consortium Additional Slides © Disciplined Agile Consortium Tactical vs. Strategic Scaling Tactical Agility at Scale The application of agile and lean strategies on IT delivery teams. This includes the ability to apply agile on teams of all sizes, on teams that are geographically distributed, on teams facing regulatory compliance, on teams addressing a complex domain (problem space), on teams applying a complex technologies, on teams where outsourcing may be involved, and combinations thereof. Strategic Agility at Scale The application of agile and lean strategies across your entire organization. From an IT point of view this includes the majority, if not all, of your IT delivery teams as well as a the IT-level teams support activities such as enterprise architecture, operations, support, portfolio management, IT governance, and other topics. From an enterprise point of view this includes all divisions and teams within your organization, not just your IT department. © Disciplined Agile Consortium What Scaling Factors Do Software Development Teams Face? 45% Compliance 43% 64% Organizationally Distributed 68% Complex Technology 88% 92% 42% Complex Domain 61% 37% Team Size > 10 48% Geographically Distributed 78% 61% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Non-Agile Teams Agile Teams Source: DDJ State of the IT Union 2014 Q2 Survey © Disciplined Agile Consortium Basic/Agile Lifecycle A full Scrum-based agile delivery lifecycle. © Disciplined Agile Consortium Exploratory “Lean Startup” Lifecycle Sometimes it takes time to identify what your stakeholders actually need © Disciplined Agile Consortium Lean Lifecycle A full lean delivery lifecycle © Disciplined Agile Consortium Lean Continuous Delivery Lifecycle Your evolutionary end goal? © Disciplined Agile Consortium Shuhari and Disciplined Agile Certification At the shu stage you are beginning to learn the techniques and philosophies of disciplined agile development. Your goal is to build a strong foundation from which to build upon. At the ha stage you reflect upon and question why disciplined agile strategies work, seeking to understand the range of strategies available to you and when they are best applied. At the ri stage you seek to extend and improve upon disciplined agile techniques, sharing your learnings with others. © Disciplined Agile Consortium DAD is a